Prenatal Exercise: Safety and Precautions

The most important thing when exercising during pregnancy is listening to your body. A general rule of thumb is to use the "talk test" to gauge your level of exertion - at any point of your exercise routine, you should be able to carry out a conversation. Even if you were in good shape pre-pregnancy, try not to do anything too hard back-to-back - allow enough time to rest in between - and monitor your heart rate.

It is advisable to invest in a heart rate monitor. You should avoid getting you heart rate too high to avoid overheating, which may be dangerous to the fetus. If it's too high it may also mean that your body is diverting your blood from the placenta to your muscles. You should consult your doctor before starting an exercise program during pregnancy, and follow the doctor's guideline on the heart rate that you should not exceed. As a rule of thumb, if you are a beginner, keep you it below 65% of your maximum heart rate (MHR); if you have been exercising, do not go over 75% of your MHR. There are many ways to calculate MHR, but the simplest method is MHR = 220 - Age.

Extra care should be taken when doing isometric exercises (e.g. plank) - it is important not to hold your breath, and to gauge your level of exertion with the "talk test". Any exercise that requires spinal flexion - lifting head and neck off the floor (e.g. crunches) - should be avoided as it may worsen diastasis recti. Proper posture is particularly important for avoiding injury in the lower back and abdominal area.

Avoid lying on your back for a prolonged period of time after the first trimester. The maximum amount of time can vary for each individual - the purpose of this guideline is not to put too much pressure on the inferior vena cava, a major blood vessel, such that circulation is cut off. Some people who "carry small" can lie on their back longer than others, listening to your body is key - get off your back when you start getting dizzy.

Water helps maintain the body's core temperature, and dehydration is one of the main causes of preterm labor. Staying well-hydrated is always important during pregnancy, particularly diastasis recti repair when exercising. Also make sure where you exercise is well-ventilated so that your sweat can evaporate to help regulate your core temperature.

Ling Wong, MS, CHHC, AADP, is the founder and director of Thoughts For Foods Holistic Health. Thoughts For Foods provides Holistic Nutrition and Wellness coaching to help facilitate transformation in conscious and focused women determined to live more and stress less to achieve weight loss, more energy, emotional wellbeing and mental clarity using our gradual yet effective "Eat Your Way to Transformation" signature system.